My 11th Oneshot
by Skyler-A-Teloiv
Summary: In the middle of the night, a Waterbender sits alone and lonely with her thoughts. Can someone out there offer her a new life and world of possibilities? Introducing the Evil Plot Rabbiroo! DITZY AND EVIL!


**Plot Rabbiroo: (sighs) You like, want me to go over it **_**again**_**?**

**Me: Yes please, but be a dear and just skip to the part about the Chapter Story Plot Bunny, not that your childhood wasn't **_**fascinating.**_

**PR: Alright, the reason the CSPB hasn't, like, shown up for you to write the next chapter of Frayed Nickels is because I like, got a promotion to be a Plot Rabbiroo for the Avatar: The Last Airbender writers, and your Oneshot Plot Bunny like, **_**totally**_** owes me a favor, so I like, asked her to let me make you my first assignment while she like, keeps the CSPB captive! **

**Me: (imploring the MOTU) You've **_**got**_** to be kidding me. **

**PR: Like no way Skyler! And can I just tell you that working with you is **_**such**_** a supercool honor!**

**Me: (face in hands) She's a ditz. WHY does she have to be a ditz? (falls to knees in pitiful heap)**

**PR: Wow, the OSPB is totally right, you are really funny! So lets like, get started!**

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**Disclaimer: Plot Rabbiroo: Skyler **_**totally**_** doesn't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, it like, belongs to Nickelodeon, and Mike and Bryan of course. Like, HI BRYKE!**

**Me: (face still in hands) This isn't happening this isn't happening this isn't happening PLEASE don't let this be happening.**

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**Me: (on a serious note) This Oneshot is a semi-AU, and while its obviously linear with the series we all know and love, there are distinct differences, and rather than break up the rhythm of the story with notes and lengthy explanations, I've chosen instead to let the reader identify and accept my adjustments, hopefully without too much confusion. However, if there is any, feel free to address it in a review, and I will be more than happy to explain.**

**And now, My 11****th**** Oneshot.**

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It was autumn in the central Earth Kingdom. As was typical of the season, cold rain fell steadily over the land, interspersed with chilly breezes, white lightning, and thunder that seemed to send messages to those listening.

This was the backdrop for the scene set just outside of one of the wooded towns, where a sizable bridge over a rain-swollen river went to a forest path that led to the large road that could go anywhere from Omashu to Gaoling. On the bridge, feet swaying inches above the swirling water, sat a small blue-clad figure, letting the rain that sluiced down her head mix with the tears on her face. The night assisted the rain's task of hiding the girl's emotions, further concealed by the barest sliver of moon in the cloudy sky. Tomorrow, even the sliver would be gone, and the waterbender would be at her weakest, would be nearly powerless.

Just like it seemed to be for everything else in the young woman's life. And no small wonder, Katara of the Watertribe's place and purpose had changed drastically, uncontrollably since the return of the Avatar. But it was ironic; that months after Aang had restored balance to the world was when Karata's life came to the crescendo of its chaos.

She laughed bitterly to herself, at herself, for believing that life would be okay with a saved world and a new boyfriend. At first, it sort of had, for while Aang had stopped the war, there was still a purpose for him, battles to be fought, to negotiate a delicate peace amongst the once warring nations.

Traveling from place to place, delegating with people, seeing old friends and making new ones had been fulfilling, if repetitive. But the old gang had broken up; its members going there separate ways to pursue their own personal challenges.

Toph had, surprisingly, been the first one to part, going back to Gaoling to attempt to reconcile with her parents, then even more surprisingly, going to Ba Sing Se to accept the Earth King's request to become head of the Dai Li, and thereby adding to the culture a spontaneity and freedom the city had not seen in decades.

Sokka and Suki, had predictably, left next, separating for Suki to appoint a new Kyoshi Warrior Leader, and then join Sokka as he built his tribe to a new glory. But when that had been accomplished, both realized they still had travel in their feet, and made their own journey throughout the world, specially focusing on fellow non-benders, who for whatever reason were developing resentment for all manipulators of the elements.

So that had left Aang, Appa, Momo…and Katara.

For a while, they had accepted, even relished, their solitude, taking advantage of it to explore their new relationship. But the two teenagers, one in particular, had been used to the previous status quo of treating each other, namely, as simply friends or even as a child and its mother. This was added onto with the stress of being a diplomat, of settling arguments that started over many things, needed to be settled in different ways, but all essentially had the same underlying solution. Tensions rose higher and higher, and cracks began to show. Then it blew into terrible arguments between she and Aang, like the one that led to Katara walking out into the autumn rainstorm, finding a bridge, and seating herself, as where the story began.

She had honestly thought Aang would have been here before now. Usually, no matter how vicious the fight, Aang always found her, always apologized, and always swayed her to his tender personality and big liquid hazel eyes. But it didn't look like that was happening now.

She only saw a jagged fork of electricity streak the distant sky, counted to seven, and heard its deep growl.

Things had been rocky already but everything became a mess when they had come to this Spirit forsaken town, whose mayor's prejudice, pedantic nature, and arrogance nearly surpassed the mayor of Chin's. Several Fire Nation colonists had resided in this town and land for years, but when the war ended, the natives had threatened several of them to leave, and imprisoned those who refused to be intimidated. This was the reason she and Aang had come, and the mayor's irritating stubbornness was what had them stay. No amount of reason seemed to sway the man.

Not for the first time, she considered taking up the Painted Lady's mantle once again to free the wrongly jailed citizens. Or, she wished separately, the Blue Spirit could always come do it and save her the hassle. She had seen a few of his wanted posters since her early travels, but his legend had grown incredibly since the end of the war. He would show up in the most convenient times and places, stopping violence and going beyond the law to right a wrong. Releasing a few falsely condemned families seemed right up his alley.

Katara perked up her ears in that moment and looked around, half expecting to see that blue mask and twin dao swords. Lightning blinked quickly and made the search easier.

Obviously, she didn't see anyone.

As an afterthought, she expanded her hearing again, this time attuning itself to Aang, be it his approach or voice to make amends. But no, no light tread drew nearer, no voice called her, nothing but the rain sounded in her ears. Even the thunder that faithfully followed its illuminating master was oddly quiet and sad.

Katara suddenly realized that no one was coming this time, and with that came the uncertainty on what she would do now. She had lived with the Avatar, moved with Appa, become a nomad in her own right. But she saw instantly that she was nothing like the detached, extinct Air Nomads. She was Watertribe, community, family, love, companionship, these things were apart of her.

But here, in the middle of No Where, Earth Kingdom, the only person she knew was angry with her, perhaps destroying her things, cutting mental ties with her at this very moment. She buried her face in her hands. No one liked to be alone, but Katara felt lonely to her very soul. She wanted someone, anyone to hear her silent cries, to take her someplace that could feel like home. At that moment, it didn't matter who, even Zuko would have been welcome in that moment.

Not for the first time, Katara wondered where he had gone. His disappearance had first been noted by Mai, who had been looking for him since before Iroh's coronation. Katara herself had seen him briefly, urgently discussing something with his Uncle, before Sokka had limped over and practically screamed to her that Ty Lee had been made a Kyoshi Warrior. Distracted by that little shocker, it wasn't until the after party that she took notice of the Prince's disappearance.

Thoughts of foul play shot around the people, but Katara knew that Zuko wasn't being found because he didn't _want_ to be found. This was partially confirmed nearly a week later, when someone had the idea to ask Ozai where Zuko might be. Ironically, the last person in the world Zuko would ever want to see was the last person to have seen him last. Apparently Zuko had demanded that the fallen Phoenix King tell him where his mother was, obviously intending to find her. When asked what Ozai had told him, hoping to have a place to begin looking for the erstwhile young heir, Ozai had told them the same thing he had told Zuko, "I don't know."

So Zuko was gone, could quite literally be anywhere, and Iroh was successfully running the Fire Nation. When it came to regaining the friendship and trust of nations that hated you, Iroh was the man for the job. Charm, strength, honestly, shrewdness, power, and genuine warmth simply emanated from the old firebender, though sometimes hidden under a veil of utter unobtrusive diffidence that could drop at a moment's notice. It helped that he had such connections and positions in that White Lotus Order; from what little Katara could understand of the society, its branches formed the world's ultimate unseen grapevine, full of wily old men and women who worked behind the scenes to manipulate the people and circumstances like tiles in a Pai Sho game, and in such a surreptitious way it was beyond her comprehension. It didn't matter in the long run anyway; these old men made her life easier, and that was enough.

If only they could help her now. She suddenly wished for Fire Lord Iroh, "Uncle" as he had insisted she call him. If anyone could help her with her inner turmoil at this moment, it was him, no doubt about it. He would give her a cup of personally made warm tea and spout some kind of proverb that would confuse her for a few moments before she worked through what he said and figured out the sage wisdom of the old words and how they applied to her problem.

The next bout of lightning reminded her of the powerful old firebending master, and the thunder his deep belly laugh. She tried to imagine what he would say, but no matter what "bizarrely-fitting-if-you-worked-hard-enough" muddle of words she came up with in her mind wasn't in Uncle Iroh's voice, but in Zuko's raspy one as he tried to imitate the old man' persona. This was abruptly funny, and Katara giggled for minutes in the intensifying rain until they, understandably, turned to hopeless sobs. She had all the questions of her life before her, and none of the answers. She needed something new, distracting, some kind of project, purpose that would give her new insight.

And it seemed that Irony, be it a God, or a being, or a random occurrence, seemed to have not heard the lone waterbender's request. Maybe it was on another call, maybe it was asleep, maybe it simply wasn't paying attention. Regardless, it was quite some time before it woke up, got the request, and set the next few events in motion with a sheepish smile, berating itself for its slip in accurate timing, which, as we all know, is half the _point_ of irony.

The stillness was shattered as several pairs of feet dashed, or sloshed, through the mud, over the bridge, and into the woods, never once noticing the sodden girl who had been agape looking at them, recognizing the Fire Nation colonists she had been fighting so hard to free. _How did they escape?_

This time, Irony was listening, and answered her question in two shakes of a koala lamb's tail. So quiet had his approach been compared to the fleeing colonists, Katara hadn't noticed that the Blue Spirit was there until he was directly in her line of sight. She jerked slightly, startled, and the masked individual instantly reached for the swords on his back at her movement. Instinctively, Katara leapt to her feet and pulled all the rain in her reach to her, leaving the pair dry for a brief moment, swirling a thick coil of liquid through her palms. Dying moon or not, Katara was still a Master Waterbender, surrounded by her element. The jagged lightning and its near-immediate thunder seemed almost staged for the tense scene.

Maybe the Blue Spirit recognized this, and that was why he released his swords and held out his gloved palms in an expression of peace. Katara streamed the water back into the river in response, confident that if this was a ploy, she could have the drops of rain turn to needles of ice in a heartbeat. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

She opened her mouth to say something, but a zephyr blew toward her in that moment, and several raindrops filled her mouth and cut off her words. She blinked and closed her lips, and the man before her drew his head back in such a way that Katara knew, without exactly knowing how, that he was smirking in amusement. But after a brief embarrassment, Katara, ever the waterbender, used the rain to her advantage, swallowing the intrusive droplets, and clearing any squeak or croak from her words.

"Did you free those people?" Again, without knowing how, Katara was instantly certain that this question brought a serious mood to this man, and he nodded. And in what seemed for the first time in weeks, she smiled. Gracefully, she turned and sat in the sane spot she had been in for hours, same position, but a new tranquility in her form. She turned to the quizzical vigilante behind her and patted the wet wood on her left.

"Would you like to sit with me?"

There was a pause, and Katara saw apprehension in the man's form as his mask tilted to the village he had recently made himself a fugitive from.

Her face grew teasing, and her tone was playfully challenging as she said, "C'mon, if the stories are true and you are as good as they say, those families have a destination, supplies, money, means to get there, and the people in that town wont know 'til morning."

His head tilted as he considered this, so Katara added, "I spent weeks here delegating those people's release, the least you can do is pay me back my wasted time by keeping me company."

On hearing this, the Blue Spirit straightened, and Katara studied him as he made his silent way over.

The wanted posters depicting the man were accurate; his mask was indeed blue, with white to emphasize the hardened features, and large teeth in a gleeful growl, the only color on his person. The rest of him was clothed in practical black, made from fine material if her eyes weren't mistaken. Also logically, the material was loose enough for free movement, but obviously close-fitting, and with the rain drenching him, it clung to his person, and Katara noticed his physique.

He was tall, a good head and shoulders taller than Aang, who despite having turned thirteen, still had to get onto the balls of his feet to kiss her…which was weird. On another note, the close fitting fabric on the person before Katara showed her that this Blue Spirit was an athletic young man, with the body of an athletic young man. She was grateful for the wan moon and the dark clouds now, for it first hid her roving eyes, then, as her reluctant companion finally sat beside her, her staining blush.

He was warm, she noted, almost feverishly so, and she resisted the urge to scoot closer to him and share his heat. Through the now-softening rain a silence came, settled, and began to eat away at her. Katara remembered something she had heard in the stories of the person sitting beside her: he never talked. Ever. Many in fact believed him to be mute. How was she, a naturally chatty person, supposed to share company with someone who couldn't, or wouldn't, talk?

But never one to let an obstacle impede her, Katara steeled herself and said the first thing that came to mind. "Thank you."

He turned to her and tilted his head to the side, and she could almost hear the, _For what?_

"For freeing those colonists. That mayor has got to be one of the most stubborn, close-minded persons I've ever met, and I have known _several_ stubborn, close-minded people."

Her companion nodded briskly, obviously meaning he shared her experience with such people.

Heartened by his willingness to talk, however limited the means, she pressed on, "As a matter of fact, I had considered freeing them myself. Aang would have killed me for it, though."

On saying his name, the Blue Spirit suddenly turned his head to one side, then the other, as if looking for someone.

"What is it?"

Focusing on the waterbender for a moment, he made the motion again, held out a palm, and with the other hand traced an arrow on the covered skin.

"Where's Aang?"

A nod. Sheet lightning.

"Probably back in the village sulking. Or sleeping. I don't really care." The words surprised her as much as it did the Blue Spirit, who drew back to show his shock at her statement. Even the thunder sounded startled.

Suddenly defensive, she angrily continued, supporting her uncharacteristic statement, realizing that each word she spoke was true. "Don't get me wrong, (by this point, the Watertribe girl had risen and was agitatedly pacing the width of the bridge, nearing the end of her rant) he's still my friend and the Avatar, and I respect both, but I swear if I spend one more day with that sanctimonious little monk, I'll strangle him with his own flappy orange robes!"

Leaning against the rain-soaked railing, the listening young man's shoulders shook with laughter, and Katara giggled herself, before her face and demeanor darkened like a snuffed candle. "Truth be told," she said quietly, arms coming up to hug herself, "he's not really the biggest problem. It's me. I don't feel happy, I don't even know _how_ to be, to make myself happy. I don't know myself, I've never taken time to try, never _had_ time to try. I was always working to keep my family alive in the South Pole, or trying to stop the war, or trying to heal the aftermath of the war. I want to do something for _me_, for once, _just _me. And as selfish as that sounds…" she trailed off when he held up a finger and solemnly shook his head at her self-deprecating statement.

Katara blinked. Her words had pulled the weed of her problem from her heart, exposing its roots, and the effect was so satisfying she had wanted to plant something fruitful in its place, before it was too late. But she hadn't anticipated telling someone that she wanted to let the world fend for itself while she focused on Katara, and they _agree _with her. It was bizarre. She had thought no one would understand her…how on earth did he understand her? Was he like her, some teenager with a good heart and a childish sense of selfish self-entitlement? Or was he one of those wise Uncle Iroh types who understood everything? The need to know if it was the former or latter was suddenly, immeasurably, important.

"What do you do when you're not the Blue Spirit?" she almost demanded.

Again, the impassive mask regarded her, and with deliberate movements, he shrugged.

"You do nothing?"

A shake, followed by another shrug, this time hands held up, level with his shoulders, and he looked greedily from side to side.

The meaning was clear. "You do whatever you want."

He nodded.

"You only help people when you need or want to."

Another unapologetic nod. She could nearly hear his matter-of-fact words.

Her mind boggled at the freedom. "That sounds _wonderful_."

He nodded, _It is_.

"Do you think I could do that?" Her vulnerable excitement was palpable as she looked for his answer.

_Yep._

"You do?"

_Of course._

"Everyone will be so angry with me."

_Does it really matter?_

"They'll be worried."

He pantomimed writing, _Send letters_.

"I could really do this."

_Yes._

"I'm going to do it."

_Good._

"I should get my things."

_That's reasonable_.

"Oh…but Aang's there, I don't want to deal with him."

_Good point._

"Y'know…"

_Yes?_

"There isn't really anything there that I need."

He rubbed his fingers together.

"Money? We don't have much more than a few coppers; the Avatar gets pretty much everything for free now. Which doesn't help me at the moment." She barely had finished saying this before a black bundle flew toward her. Catching it and hearing the jingle, she opened the small pouch and found several silvers. "Thank you."

He waved his generosity away, and glanced at the bit of lightning that had appeared rather close this time.

"I'm really going to do this."

_Yes, you've said that already._

Without thinking, amidst warmly booming thunder, Katara stepped forward and threw her arms around the man who seemed to be opening the doors to all kinds of prisons this evening. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Awkwardly, he straightened from his lounging position, placed one hand, then another, on her back, but as time passed and she showed no sign of letting go, he loosened up and returned the embrace in full. The corner of his mask was digging slightly into her shoulder, but she didn't care. She relished his warmth and breathed in his smell: something ashy mixed with rainwater. He was solid and comforting, almost familiarly so, and she felt simply content in his strong arms.

Who was this person? What kind of individual traveled under no expectations, with loyalty to no nation, bound by no laws or responsibilities or pressures or restraints? Who gives selflessly to those he deems worthy? Who was he?

She was dying to find out.

"Can I come with you?"

The warm body she held stiffened and pulled away, leaving Katara to pull her arms close once more to retain as much heat as she could. Her face flushed red, but she refused to regret her words. Like she would have is she hadn't said them.

Something within her told her she should not let this person slip through her fingers. She felt that with him, she would find her answers. And somehow, with the same certainty and utter lack of explanation that she had felt since meeting him, Katara knew she could trust him. Like she _knew _him and she didn't question how, but simply pulled a Sokka and trusted her instincts.

But if those were to be trusted now, they seemed to be saying that the Blue Spirit was going to refuse her, for he hadn't moved since he had pulled away.

Biting her lip, face contorting in disappointment so painful she sank to her knees. "I'm sorry," she said to the wet planks, "It was a rude thing to ask. I suppose I'm nervous, I've never traveled by myself before. You've already done more than enough for…me…" she halted at the black-gloved hand in her line of vision. She looked up, new hope in her luminescent eyes.

"Where will we go?"

He extended his arms to the world, _Anywhere_. He presented his hand once more, and she took it.

They stood that way, hand in hand, for a few minutes, and then it was the Blue Sprit who stepped forward and gathered her in a hug. Holding him tight, and breathing in his now-familiar smell, Katara felt a tingle run through her, like something beginning to live and take root.

A particularly brilliant flash of lightning and snarl of thunder startled them apart, and Katara's heart beat faster, but not from nature's show of power. In that momentary light, she had seen what lay beneath the dark mouth of the mask. Light skin, and a mouth. As her new traveling companion took her hand and led her across the bridge to the forest path, Katara wondered what it would be like to truly see the owner of those nice-looking lips.

It gave her pause and the Blue Spirit noticed, turning around and releasing her hand at her expression. He tilted his head, _What's wrong?_

"I-I don't know who you are."

There was interminable suspension in time. Then slowly, the Blue Spirit reached up and began to loosen his mask.

As it pulled partly away, she glimpsed a darkened patch of skin near the left eye and her heart stopped. The mask dropped to the wet ground, a hood was pulled back, and Katara of the Watertribe was staring into the golden gaze of Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation.

He was taller then she remembered, his hair was longer and pulled back from his face. And he was traveling the world as a masked vigilante. So many surprises in so many months, but this was the ultimate shock. Fury coursed through her; so _this_ was where he had been! How could he have just taken off like that and left his Uncle holding the bag? Hadn't he realized how much the Fire Nation needed him, how much _everyone_ needed him?

And the fury washed away with a burst of rain. She wanted to do the same thing now didn't she? All you had to do was replace "Aang" for "Uncle" and "world" for "Fire Nation". He had his reasons then, just like she did now. They had always been alike in more ways than she had cared to admit. Finding out that her _new_ kindred spirit, she realized, was also her _old_ kindred spirit, was probably the nicest discovery she had made since a little bald boy in a block of ice.

First she finds the missing Avatar, then she finds the missing Fire Prince, that wasn't too shabby for a Watertribe peasant. Not to mention that her travels with the first one changed her life in many favorable ways, it was practically assured that the same thing would happen this time. Who knows? Maybe she'd get a handsome royal bad boy firebender boyfriend out of _this_ one. Hmm, not too shabby at all.

Katara stopped and went over that last thought. Deciding it would be less mortifying to write off _that_ little musing as an early symptom of hypothermia, she broke the silence between her and her old "enemy-turned-friend."

"Hello Zuko," she breathed.

"That's _Prince_ Zuko, Waterbender." Her eyes crinkled and rolled at his words; his voice hadn't changed at all. Neither had his personality.

"'Waterbender'? Well, at least you aren't calling me 'Peasant.'"

He smirked, "I still could, but it'll be a term of endearment instead of an insult."

"Oh really? So if I call you 'Sparky', I can pass that off as a term of endearment?"

"Only Toph can do that. From you it just sounds like an insult."

"And we wouldn't want that, it'll the poor Prince's _feelings_!" she covered her mouth in a fake gasp.

"What happened to that nice young lady who hugged me and was _so_ grateful that I agreed to travel with her?"

"She disappeared with the mysterious, sword-wielding masked man."

Zuko's arms crossed petulantly, "Keep it up, I won't take you with me!"

Katara was confident and showed it, "Oh that won't happen."

"Why not?"

"Because I can help you find you mother."

Briefly stunned, he started, "How did…" then his face cleared, "I see you spoke to Ozai."

"Yeah. So he didn't know where she was?"

"No, he banished her, and then never saw her again. He didn't even know if she was still alive. …You really want to help me?" His pale eyes seemed to burn with disbelieving hope.

All traces of teasing put away, Katara stood before Zuko and touched his cheek, making him look at her, "I understand the pain of losing a mother, Zuko, of course I want to help you." He smiled, and her whole palm rested against his warm face. Her eyes softened and nostalgic affection laced her words, "You were there to help me with Yon Rha, I should at the very least repay your help."

He leaned a little into her hand and looked down, "I never considered it a debt."

She smiled, "Then how about now? Tonight you saved my life…again. What else can I do?"

He looked straight at her again, and she was drawn into their molten depths. A warm gloved hand slid beneath her hair and rested at the nape of her neck, gently pulling forward. His kiss was like his embrace, only better. As warm as tea, as sweet as honey, as soft as rabbiroo fur, and as cradling as a down bed, Katara clung to his tunic as her head swam pleasantly.

When it ended, Zuko still kept her close, and he smiled as happily as she had ever seen him.

"Thank you Katara."

Lightning flashed, but she doubted it had anything to do with the electricity his voice evoked in her when he said her name. It was like that every one of the few times he said her name, even when she thought she hated him. She wondered if it would always be like that.

She grinned as she realized she would be able to find out. He was here, after all, and she was with him. Perhaps she will always be with him.

"I think I should be thanking you."

There lips met again, and thunder rumbled its approval to the world.

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**Me: Can YOOU spot all the inspiration sources for this story?**

**Plot Rabbiroo: Ooh ooh! I can!**

**Me: Well of course YOU can, you gave me the story!**

**PR: Oh yeeeaah! Sorry (giggles)**

**Me: (grinding teeth) …if the Chapter Story Plot Bunny isn't released soon I will NOT be held accountable for my actions.**

**PR: Violence against rabbiroos is like, illegal, we're endangered y'know.**

**Me: (mutters) Wonder why?**

**Please review before I find out exactly how much a stuffed rabbiroo goes for on the black market.**

**L8r**

**SAT :)  
**


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